JEDDAH: The Saudi Embassy in Cairo has strongly denied reports that the Kingdom contracted Israeli companies to ensure the pilgrims’ security during the Haj season this year.

“Reports that some Egyptian media outlets circulated citing the Israeli radio that Saudi Arabia contracted Israeli companies to secure pilgrims this year are untrue and mere allegations,” the media office of the embassy said in a statement.

The office urged media outlets to contact the embassy to verify such news before reporting, to “preserve their credibility” with the public.

Quoting Israeli sites, Al-Manar TV, which belongs to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, reported that “Israel spies on KSA through the electronic bracelets the Saudi authorities imposed on the pilgrims.”

Al-Manar quoted the so-called “Haj and Umrah Network” as saying that Saudi Arabia contracted Israeli company G4S to supply the electronic bracelets that each pilgrim must wear upon arrival and until his/her departure.

“These GPS-enabled devices can find the position of any pilgrim at any time, and in case an accident happens, the Saudi authorities may need to take information from the Israeli company,” Al-Manar TV said.

Source: ArabNews